


His Love, His Light

by msmooseberry



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Christmas Fluff, Established Relationship, M/M, Past Shadam - Freeform, Shiro used to be a test pilot and now teaches at the Academy, a little bit of Shangst, aaand as requested, and Shiro preparing to go to Lance’s family Christmas dinner for the first time, lance works at a flower shop, sweet and domestic, sweet morning kisses, written for Shance Secret Santa 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-27 04:48:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17155604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/msmooseberry/pseuds/msmooseberry
Summary: Shiro wakes up on a Christmas morning and shares a peaceful tender moment with his boyfriend Lance.





	His Love, His Light

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Shance Secret Santa 2018 for Isa (@riveer-shii on tumblr). Her request contained: Shangst, a sweet Christmas morning kiss, and first time celebrating Christmas at Lance’s house with his family. I decided to add a bit of everything, hope it turned out good enough!

When Shiro woke up the room was quiet and still submerged in the early winter morning darkness. It was dispelled, however, by the soft yellow glow of the fairy lights plastered on the opposite wall. He watched with half-lidded eyes as they blinked lazily on and off at even intervals, lighting up the smiling happy faces in a cluster of pictures Lance put there when they moved in.

Lance had a knack for decorations, Shiro had to give him that, and now in his sleepy fuzzy state he couldn’t help but think that letting Lance decorate their home for Christmas was one of his best decisions. There was definitely something magical in the way the warm light made everything in the room stand out in some curious, unexpected way. Like the little Christmas tree perched on the dressing table, a minimalistic glass version of the real one in the living room Lance insisted they “dress up” together. As inconspicuous as it was in the dark, once the light hit it just right it came to life with a whole spectrum of bleaks and shimmers. The mirror behind it amplified the beautiful effect, and yet, when the yellow glow faded, the little tree turned into a ghost of itself.

Every time Shiro looked at it, he remembered the one who gave it to him. The one who, like the brittle glass it was made off, shone bright only in the light of Shiro’s memory.

He and Adam started out as test pilots at the Galaxy Garrison, but grew to be so much more. Then Shiro’s crash happened. He lost his right arm and for a year, between healing, adapting for the prosthetic and trying to resume work as a flight instructor at the Academy, was consumed by severe depression. He kept blaming himself for the error that cost him his future and kept pushing every single person who cared about him away. Adam even more so because he represented everything Shiro could no longer have.

And then Adam’s jet crashed. A malfunction caused the engine to explode right in the air. Forensics stated it had been instant death. It was then that Shiro realised what a fool he was for bemoaning his fate. Adam wasn’t that lucky. Adam was dead.

That year was the darkest period in Shiro’s life, he never hoped to recover. And he never thought he would find love ever again. But he did, and in the most unexpected place at that.

On the anniversary of Adam’s death he went to a flower shop on the corner of the street where Adam used to live. It was ironic maybe, and a bit masochistic to revisit the place where he had picked the first bouquet for his boyfriend, the lovely flower-lady with wavy brown hair and a warm smile helping him to make the right choice. When he went in that day he suddenly remembered her and almost turned around and fled, imagining how excruciating it would be to tell her that this time the number of flowers should be even. Only it wasn’t the same lady who stood at the counter, it was her son. Lance.

Surrounded by flowers of different shades and sizes, he was like a breeze of fresh air in Shiro’s stagnant existence. He didn’t immediately think that he had a chance with the beautiful flower boy, wasn’t even sure his affections would be returned, and in all honesty, couldn’t let himself think about the possibility - his heart still ached too much from the loss.

But, as they say, time heals all wounds, and gradually Shiro found the strength to let go. It took him a bit longer to build up the courage to actually make a move on Lance though. At first he made sure to show up regularly at the shop at least twice a week. He wished he could go in and see Lance more often but that would’ve been too suspicious, plus he never left without a bouquet or a potted plant and in a couple of months his apartment resembled a little flower shop as well. He knew he had to be more bold than that, he just feared that if he asked Lance out and got rejected straight away he wouldn’t know what to do with his enormous crush and turn to stalking the poor boy.

Luckily, by the time Shiro asked if there were any good coffee shops around and after getting a reply meekly added “Would you like to come have a cup with me sometime?” Lance must’ve already been into him at least a little because he said yes. The rest was history, and now, a year and a half later they were living together.

Shiro’s gaze fell on the outfit Lance had picked out for him for today. It was hanging on the rack hooked onto the door of their decent-sized walk-in closet and looked imposing and a little bit nightmarish if he let his imagination run wild. But under the fairy lights it turned back to what it was: a cream-coloured knit sweater with leather elbow patches, a dark blue shirt to go underneath and a pair of slacks Lance had thoughtfully chosen for him to wear to his family’s Christmas dinner, wanting him to be comfortable and make a good impression.

He suspected Shiro was anxious about meeting his family. Of course, Shiro already knew Lance’s mother and regularly saw her at the shop when he came to pick Lance up after work. He met Lance’s father shortly after the two of them started dating, wanting to do it right, and also knew his sister Veronica because they often had lunch together and Lance invited him a couple of times as well. But to meet his whole family, which was very extended with numerous cousins, aunts and uncles, nephews and nieces, - that was a huge deal. It would be almost as if he was being formally introduced as a new addition to it. And in a way he really was.

It was something he had trouble wrapping his head around, having grown up an only child and then living quite a solitary life. Even when he was with Adam they never came as far as sharing an apartment or thinking seriously about the future. It was all new to Shiro, and as terrified as he might be, he was loving every minute of it.

The warm weight resting on his left arm was the better part of the reason why. He looked down at Lance’s sleeping face and a soft adoring smile touched his lips. So loud and boisterous in the day, now he was quiet and peaceful, relaxed and perfectly comfortable as he was hugging Shiro in his sleep. The fairy light slowly lit up again and touched Lance’s smooth brown skin, giving it a beautiful glow and making him look almost angelic. Even his light brown stubble and slightly parted mouth with a bit of drool in the corner did nothing to ruin this impression. Shiro looked at him and something deep inside was clenching tightly and he knew, he loved him. Loved him so much.

His loud thoughts must’ve reached Lance somehow because in a couple of moments his eyelids trembled and he was waking up. Shiro watched how his nostrils twitched a little as he took in a deeper breath, how he closed his mouth and smacked his lips a couple of times, unconsciously rubbing the side of his face on the sleeve of Shiro’s tee to wipe off the drool. Then his body tensed a little and he frowned before relaxing once again and finally blinking his eyes open, immediately starting to look for Shiro. It was all so endearing Shiro couldn’t help but grin.

Lance focused on his face and, catching his expression, grinned lazily in return, “Hey there, gorgeous,” he said, voice a little hoarse from sleep.

“Hello, beautiful,” Shiro replied and Lance’s grin grew wider. The arm around his waist tightened and Lance scooted closer to hug him properly.

“Merry Christmas,” he whispered into Shiro’s ear and landed a soft kiss on his cheek. Shiro closed his eyes and basked in the sweet affection from his boyfriend before turning and kissing him on the lips, mindful to keep it chaste because he knew Lance was self-conscious of his morning breath. Shiro personally didn’t mind but would never make Lance uncomfortable.

“Merry Christmas,” he said when they broke apart and settled on his pillow, lying snugly close under the covers and enjoying the warmth of each other’s bodies.

“Big day today, huh?” Lance said lightly, but Shiro knew he was probing to check if Shiro was still okay with the plan.

“Yeah, but I’m ready for it,” he reassured and added, “thanks to you,” at that Lance chuckled slightly but then said seriously.

“You know I’ll be there for you no matter what,” Shiro did, and was thankful to him for that, but couldn’t hold back from teasing Lance a little.

“You say that like we’re going into battle,” Lance mock-gasped in shock.

“But we are! Never underestimate Tia Olivia on a mission to give you every possible desert to try, or mom’s power to refill your plate in an instant when you’re not looking, or Pop-Pop’s challenges to make up the most original toasts - it’s a trap and once he catches you there’s no escape!” as Lance spoke he started gesticulating with one hand and did it so energetically he almost hit Shiro in the nose. “Oops, sorry,” he mumbled and his cheeks grew a little pink, but Shiro only laughed.

“Oh, I can’t wait to engage, I’ll try to do my best.”

“You are the best, you don’t need to try,” Lance said, getting comfortable on his broad chest and taking his prosthetic hand in his, squeezing it tightly for emphasis. “Sylvio and Nadia will totally believe it if I say you’re a cool cyborg sent from space to save the Earth from evil monsters or something,” he chuckled, probably picturing his nephew and nieces’ excited faces. “But hey, just so you know, you’re my hero already.”

He wasn’t looking at him as he said that but Shiro knew Lance spoke from the heart, could never do it otherwise, and he believed him.

“Thank you,” he shortly kissed the top of Lance’s head.

They lay in comfortable silence for several minutes before getting up to get ready for the day, and Shiro felt light. His anxiety left him like the dark shadows left the room when touched by the warm glow of the fairy lights. Lance gave him the strength to believe in himself and the will to be a better man. It was like magic.

“Hey, big man, don’t you wanna see your present?” came Lance’s shout from the living room.

“Coming!” Shiro fixed the collar of his shirt before the mirror, glanced at the little glass tree beside it and smiled softly, picking up a long rectangular box wrapped in ‘starry night sky’ paper. “Wait till you see yours!” he called, stopping briefly to look at the fairy lights that were now shining steady and bright, and went out of the room.


End file.
